Kayaking a fast-growing sport, especially among anglers

Josh Rouse

Saturday

Sep 26, 2015 at 2:37 PM

Only inches above the water, a brilliant yellow kayak glides effortlessly across a blue-hued, reflective surface. No noise is made other than the droplets of water falling from the oar as it emerges from the lake.

Suddenly, a pair of blue herons takes flight, gliding gently beside the vessel and its occupant, their wingtips gently kissing the ripples in the water. One of the giant birds snatches an unfortunate fish from the murky depths below with its long, narrow bill, and the birds begin to squawk voraciously as they bicker, midflight, over the tasty morsel.

Just another close call with nature for a trio of avid kayakers fishing on a cool, late-August evening in Shawnee County.

“That’s the main thing,” Topeka angler Scott Stormann said. “Some people get really into it and get really aggressive when fishing. Kayak fishing is a lot more relaxing and a lot smoother. It gets you closer to wildlife — you don’t have any motors going and you can drift right up to deer, heron, any kind of wildlife in Kansas.”

Stormann, who was fishing with fellow kayakers John Abbott and David Moon at Shawnee State Lake, about 8 miles northwest of Topeka, soon got a laugh as the herons came back and dive-bombed his companions, coming within feet of them.

“That’s what we’re here for,” he yelled at the others. “To get close to nature.”

Kayaking benefits

Aside from being less expensive than a bass boat, kayaks and other paddled boats have a bevy of benefits for anglers and recreational boaters.

For one, kayakers don’t have to purchase boat tags or pay property taxes on their vessels the way motorboat owners do. This allows kayakers to reach the same areas as other boaters at a fraction of the cost — an important quality for a frugal angler looking to cover more water than a bank angler.

“I like to just drift along the bank and toss them into the weeds or under a tree,” said Moon, who uses topwater lures and jigs to coax bass out of their favorite hiding spots along the shore.

Abbott likes kayak fishing because it allows him to reach areas that often are inaccessible by foot, such as small creeks or submerged brush piles.

“With bank fishing, you are restricted with the area you can fish, where you’re more free in the kayak,” Abbott said. “I can go wherever I want with more access than on land.”

Abbott also noted the health benefits of using kayaks or canoes over a motorized watercraft. According to the American Council on Exercise, a 175-pound person would burn 397 calories after an hour of kayaking — the same as playing an hour of softball — with heavier people burning even more calories per hour.

“If someone did it enough, I could see a possibility to lose weight,” he said. “And it’s a good workout for the arms.”

Popularityon the rise

Kayaks and canoes likely have been around for thousands of years, but steadily have gained popularity recently. The Outdoor Foundation found a record-setting 21.7 million Americans — 7.4 percent of the population — had paddled in a kayak, canoe or other vessel on a U.S. waterway in 2014. That number was an increase of 3 million people since the study began in 2010. The study also indicated paddlers averaged seven outings a year, and paddlers, collectively, had 216 million outings in 2014.

“I’ve always wanted one, then my brother and brother-in-law decided to buy a couple and that gave me the push to finally buy one,” said Kyle Dehn, a Manhattan resident and native of Topeka. “I’ve always liked floating around lakes, and always wanted to go down the river.”

Similar to Stormann, Dehn’s love of nature was another big draw in buying a kayak.

“My favorite thing is being out in nature,” Dehn said. “You don’t have a motor to drive you around, so it’s like you’re a part of the river or lake. I’ve had a deer on the bank of (Pottawatomie Lake No. 2) drinking that just looked at me and went back to drinking when I floated about 15 feet away from him. That’s an awesome feeling. And nothing beats floating out in a lake and watching the sunrise.”

Dehn, who over the course of several trips is kayaking with his brothers from Junction City to Lawrence on the Kaw River, also finds joy in seeing a different view of familiar areas.

“You get to see things like you’ve never seen them,” he said. “No matter how many times you drive over the Oakland Expressway, it’s a completely different place when you’re floating under it. You get to really see places in a new light.”

Dehn recently took his wife, Courtney, kayaking for the first time.

“I borrowed my brother’s kayak and took her,” he said. “She liked it, so we’ll probably end up getting another one sometime this winter.”

Tips for beginners

Stormann recommends researching kayaks before you buy one.

“Find out what size you’re going to be able to store, what’s going to be best for you and what kind of kayak you’re wanting,” he said. “Another thing is how are you going to get it there. Safety is key. If you’re going to travel with it on top of your car, you need to make sure you buy something to secure it solidly.”

Another tip he offered to aspiring kayakers: Relax.

“If you’re looking for something to try to catch as many bass as you can and be pinpoint accurate like on a bass boat, kayak fishing probably isn’t for you,” Stormann said. “But if you’re looking for something to relax and be able to get out on the water and enjoy it, it’s a great sport and it’s kind of been coming alive here in the past few years.”

Moon added another tip to keep in mind when shopping for kayaks, which can range in price from about $100 to $1,000 or more.

“I’d say don’t go into the expensive ones right away in case you don’t like it,” he said. “Go with a cheaper model and you can always upgrade later.”

Abbott shared some wisdom of his own for those just starting out.

“First time using a kayak, I would suggest to take it easy and stay close to the shore,” he said. “Stay in a comfort zone, don’t try to cross the lake. Also, first go to a smaller body of water, don’t go to bigger lakes.”

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